Apparatus for regulation of flow of fluid material



, o. IYMSET July 6, 1937.

APPARATUS-FOR REGULATION OF FLOW OF FLUID MATERIAL Filed March 9, i956 Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED srres APEARATUS FOR REGULATION OF FLOW OF FLUID MATERIAL Otto Imset, Oslo, Norway Application March 9, 1936, Serial No. 67,985 In Norway March 9, 1935 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an apparatus for regulation of flow of fluid material.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus by means of which the flow of fluid 5 material from an apparatus in which the material is handled, may be so regulated that the level of fluid in the last mentioned apparatus will remain substantially constant.

Another object of the invention is to provide 13 an apparatus by means of which the outflow of fluid material from an apparatus for handling the said material, may be cut off automatically when the level of the fluid in the last mentioned apparatus decreases below a certain limit.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises an ascending conduit having an inlet at its lower end, a descending conduit having an outlet at its lower end, a space connecting the upper ends of the two conduits, means for sucking air out from the said space and means to admit air into the said space, the admission of air being controlled by the fluid material.

As will be understood the apparatus according to the invention acts like a siphon.

According to a preferred form of execution the arrangement comprises an ejector, the suctionpipe of which opens into the said space and which serves to bring about and maintain a sufficiently reduced pressure in the air-filled space. The construction may be such that the outflowing pulp produces the suction effect.

The mode of action of the device consists therein that the said space through the inflow or outflow opening or through a special opening or pipe 35 is automatically set in connection with the outer air when the level of the fluid material outside the apparatus sinks below a, certain limit. Thereupon the action of the siphon ceases and the outlet is closed. As soon as the level of the fluid, owing to the closing of the outlet, has risen sufficiently, the connection between the atmosphere and the said space is cut of? and the ejector, which preferably shall be fed with the fluid, now brings about a sufficient reduction of pressure in the space to enable the siphon to come into action again.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description together with the appended drawing, which diagrammatically illustrates an embodiment of the invention.

The single figure of drawing is a showing in vertical section of the said embodiment.

In the said figure of drawing, reference numeral E'represents a discharge vessel which'is open at the top. Pulp from the vessel 6 flows through siphon 9, being first sucked up through the ascending branch 9' of the siphon and then falling freely down through the upper air-filled portion of the descending siphon-branch 9". The sucking up of the pulp through the inflow branch 9' is effected by means of the reduced pressure in I the upper part of the container 6, the, said reduced pressure being brought about and maintained as hereinafter described.

As soon as the level of the pulp in the strainer (not shown) sinks below a certain height, the

space It] is brought into connection with the atmosphere, whereupon the pulp in the siphonbranch 9' sinks down to the level of the pulp in vessel 6 and the outflow of pulp is interrupted. The level of the pulp in the strainer will therefore automatically rise, with the result that the connection between the atmosphere and the space H] is againbroken off and the action of the siphon once more begins.

As shown on the drawing, the descending branch 9" of the siphon goes over to an ascending discharge duct ll. At the bottom of this latter there is arranged a discharge opening I2, which together with the conically fashioned lower end 13 of a pipe 4 forms an ejector. The suctionpipe IQ of the ejector opens into the upper part of the container 9 (at l5) and the ejector will thus, when working normally, maintain a constant state of reduced pressure in the space It].

The mode of operation of this arrangement is as follows:

When working normally, the pulp fio-ws from the strainer up through the branch 9' of the siphon under the influence of the difference in level between the pulp in the siphon-branch 9' and in the vessel 6 and the difference in pressure between the atmosphere and the space ID. If the supply of pulp to the strainer decreases below a certain limit, the level of the pulp in the discharge duct II will sink below the edge I6 of the outer wall in descending branch 9" of the siphon and the space It will thereby be set in connection with the atmosphere, so that the action of the siphon immediately'ceases.

The level of the pulp in the vessel 6 and in the strainer will now rise until the pulp begins to flow over from the branch 9' to the branch 9" of the siphon. If the supply of pulp to the strainer is sufiiciently large, the pulp in the part II will rise up to the edge IE, whereby the space ID will be cut oif from the atmosphere. The ejector Will now begin to suck the air out of the container and will continue to do so un- 10 til normal conditions of Work are again attained.

I claim: Apparatus of the character described for regthe said ejector to the upper end of the said 10 ascending conduit.

OTTO IMSET. 

